House Oversight and Reform Committee

  • The Protecting America's Civilian Employees Act would require the Office of Management and Budget to submit a plan to Congress on how they would cut spending without harming the federal workforce.

    March 07, 2013
  • Over the past few years, unimplemented agency inspector general recommendations that could potentially save the government billions of dollars have piled up. Now, with $85 billion in automatic budget cuts kicking in, lawmakers on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee are telling agencies there's no excuse for them to further delay implementing the cost-saving measures and best practices identified by their IGs.

    March 05, 2013
  • Rep. Darrell Issa plans to formally introduce the Federal IT Acquisition Reform Act before the end of March. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee held its second hearing on the draft bill. Current and former federal officials say the bill should place a stronger emphasis on project management and workforce issues.

    February 28, 2013
  • OPM issued its fiscal 2011 Official Time report. The data shows employees, on average, spent 2.82 hours on union-related work during official hours. The cost of official time also increased by almost 12 percent.

    February 18, 2013
  • GAO adds two new areas to the list, NOAA's satellite programs and the federal government's financial risk because of climate change. Comptroller General Gene Dodaro said nearly every initiative on the list made progress in fixing their problems over the last two years.

    February 15, 2013
  • A total of 30 programs, once again, are considered troubled, including two new areas. But, the Government Accountability Office removed the IRS' Business Systems Modernization program after 18 years on the list, and interagency contracting after 8 years.

    February 14, 2013
  • Ron Ross of the National Institute of Standards and Technology wants feedback on the agency's IT security and privacy controls. Deputy Commissioner Wanda Rogers of the Treasury Department's Financial Management Service talks about the final transition to E-Payments. Philip Lohaus is a research fellow with the American Enterprise Institute and former Defense Department analyst who has studied and blogged about how the CIA is two organizations in one.

    February 11, 2013
  • The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee held its first hearing on the steps needed to reform IT management across government. But federal CIO Steven VanRoekel said he has the authority needed to improve how agencies spend money on technology programs. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), the committee's chairman, is developing legislation to update laws governing the management of IT.

    January 23, 2013
  • Michael Nelson talks about a Bloomberg Government study on the issues surrounding big data. Anthony Robbins of Brocade Communication discusses IT reform. Fedlink Executive Director Blane Dessy discusses how expanding his program will help cut government costs. Alex Bolton of The Hill newspaper fills us in on Congress' plans to solve the debt ceiling crisis.

    January 23, 2013
  • Later today, the full membership of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee will begin to consider legislation to reduce wasteful IT spending.

    January 22, 2013
  • Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) introduced a bill that would block a 0.5 percent pay raise for federal workers slated to go into effect March 27. In an executive order issued late last month, President Barack Obama mandated a 0.5 percent pay increase.

    January 16, 2013
  • Alice Muellerweiss, the dean of VA's Learning University, resigned, joining John Sepulveda, the agency's former chief human capital officer. As many as 10 others are under review for their actions or parts in what the IG called a lack of oversight.

    January 08, 2013
  • Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said they were committed to working together to pass postal reform legislation in the new Congress. Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe renewed his call for congressional action, saying the agency faces an "unsustainable" financial path.

    January 03, 2013
  • The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is consolidating two subcommittees that oversee major agency functions, such as procurement and technology, into a new panel. No news yet on who will be the ranking members.

    January 02, 2013